MMA Rankings: Lightweight
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On the first Wednesday of every month, theScore's MMA editors compile a list of the top 10 fighters in each of the major weight classes.
Rankings
Heavyweight | Light Heavyweight
Middleweight | Welterweight
Lightweight | Featherweight
Bantamweight | Flyweight
Women: Bantamweight | Strawweight
Lightweight
| Ranking | Fighter |
|---|---|
| 1 | Rafael dos Anjos |
| 2 | Anthony Pettis |
| 3 | Donald Cerrone |
| 4 | Khabib Nurmagomedov |
| 5 | Gilbert Melendez |
| 6 | Benson Henderson |
| 7 | Eddie Alvarez |
| 8 | Will Brooks |
| 9 | Michael Johnson |
| 10 | Tony Ferguson |
- Donald Cerrone earned a crack at lightweight overlord Rafael dos Anjos with a jaw-crushing TKO win over John Makdessi at UFC 187 in May. Cerrone and dos Anjos squared off back in 2013, with the Brazilian buzzsaw emerging victorious via unanimous decision.
- After years of back-and-forth, Gilbert Melendez and Eddie Alvarez are finally set to exchange pleasantries (and fists) at UFC 188 in June. A rumored superfight between the two floated around for years when Alvarez ruled Bellator's lightweight division and Melendez was king of the 155-pounders in Strikeforce.
- Nursing a four-fight winning streak, Michael Johnson looks poised to break into the upper echelon in one of the promotion's deepest divisions. The 28-year-old Blackzilian was reportedly set to face former champion Benson Henderson in July, but Henderson suffered an undisclosed injury and the bout was scrapped.